In a quiet room at a nursing home in Quebec, Canada, a man in his 50s, along with one of his friends, watched Dune: Part Two, the sequel to the blockbuster film directed by Denis Villeneuve, which was just released in Vietnam.
Confidentiality is of utmost importance. However, the individuals involved signed a waiver not to disclose any details, maintaining the privacy of the man.
French actor – Timothée Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides, and singer – Zendaya portrays Chani in Dune: Part Two. Image: Warner Bros.
A Race Against Time
Josee Gagnon, founder of the charitable organization L’Avant in Canada, turned the wishes of the man into reality. She spoke to The Washington Post, stating that bringing the film to this man was a “race against time.”
Gagnon, whose organization assists individuals in the final stages of life to fulfill their dreams, shared the details of this endeavor in a March 4 interview and in a recent Facebook post.
She expressed that she could finally breathe easy after Dune: Part Two premiered, but withheld the identity of the man to protect his privacy.
The initiative began in January when L’Avant made a Facebook call for anyone who could reach out to director Villeneuve. The organization wrote: “We want to create a favorable condition for a man in his final days.” The post indicated that time was of the essence, as the man was only “a few weeks away.”
The post did not provide further details about the requests, but shortly after, the organization contacted director Villeneuve.
In a Facebook post last weekend, Gagnon mentioned that Villeneuve and his partner, Tanya Lapointe (the producer of Dune: Part Two), were “deeply moved by the last wish of this film enthusiast.”
Director Denis Villeneuve (left) and Spanish actor Javier Bardem as Stilgar in Dune 2. Image: Warner Bros.
Villeneuve and his team wanted to bring this man to either Montreal (Quebec) or Los Angeles (USA) so he could watch the film, Gagnon mentioned in her post and in an interview with Radio-Canada. However, the reality was that “it couldn’t happen” as the man was “too weak.”
“Time is passing. The man is fading away,” she wrote.
After the call for help, on January 16, director Villeneuve flew to Quebec with his portable cinema and took it to a nursing home about 209 km north of Quebec City, Gagnon stated.
A Few Days After His Passing
The man did not speak English and had to watch the film in French, Gagnon told The Washington Post. He “loved it to the extent that we thought he might pass away during the movie,” she wrote on Facebook.
In the end, he could not watch the entire 2 hours and 46 minutes of the film. Gagnon shared with The Washington Post that he felt pain and could only watch about half of it before he had to pause. He passed away a few days after that. He “took with him the secrets of the film,” Gagnon mentioned in her post.
Gagnon told the program Place publique on Radio-Canada that some participants felt it was a “failure” because the man did not get to see the ending of the film. However, she felt differently.
“I said: ‘You don’t understand – what this man experienced was extraordinary. The ending of a film, when you are about to die, what does it mean… Everything is meaningful because of him.’” She noted that the incomplete viewing “was not the point.”
The crew filming Dune 2 spent a month shooting in the desert of Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). Image: Warner Bros.
The man had a “very difficult start to life” and was surrounded by people, including those he did not know, working to realize his final wish. And Gagnon wrote that “there is value in everything that is golden in this world.”
Now, Gagnon only has one thought. “Everyone should continue to believe that every wish can be fulfilled with all their heart,” she told The Washington Post.
After its release, Dune: Part Two received rave reviews and high ratings from viewers, grossing approximately $182.5 million at 72 international markets in its opening week. The film’s production budget was $190 million.
Gagnon mentioned that she has not yet seen Dune: Part Two, but intends to watch it soon. “I will cry like a baby when I think about this story and about him,” she said.
Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet in the lead roles in Dune 2. Image: Warner Bros.
